1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coordinate input device, and in particular, it relates to a coordinate input device capable of inputting desired coordinates by controlling the inclination of a stick and capable of inputting other coordinates by pushing a rubber cap that is press-fitted in the stick.
2. Description of the Related Art
A related-art coordinate input device will be described with reference to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 09-230999. As shown in FIG. 20, a related-art coordinate input device 51 includes a base 52 and a stick 53 that stands upright from the base 52, and has a deformation sensor (not shown) bonded to the side of the stick 53.
The stick 53 has first, second, and third holes 53a, 53b, and 53c. The stick 53 has a specified-diameter recess 53d on the upper end.
A driving pin 54 passes through the first hole 53a. The driving pin 54 includes a head 54a with a large outside diameter, a columnar part 54b that can be fitted in the first hole 53a, and a hook-shaped engaging portion 54c formed at the lower end of the columnar part 54b. 
A spring support member 55 that moves vertically with the vertical motion of the driving pin 54 is in engagement with the engaging portion 54c of the driving pin 54.
The spring support member 55 has a compression spring 56. The compression spring 56 is disposed such that the lower end is elastically in contact with a dome-shaped metal contact 57. Under the metal contact 57, a membrane sheet 58 is disposed which has opposing upper and lower contacts 58a with a gap therebetween.
A rubber cap 59 is fixed to the head 54a of the driving pin 54. When the rubber cap 59 is pushed downward, the driving pin 54 moved downward and as such, the spring support member 55 compresses the compression spring 56 to push the metal contact 57.
Then the dome-shaped metal contact 57 is reversed, and so the upper contact 58a of the membrane sheet 58 moves downward to come into contact with the lower contact 58a to allow conduction.
When a tilting load is applied to the rubber cap 59 from an obliquely upward position and from the side, the stick 53 is tilted via the driving pin 54.
The tilting of the stick 53 is detected by the deformation sensor (not shown) bonded to the side of the stick 53.
The related-art coordinate input device 51 is disposed between multiple key switches of, e.g., a keyboard input device (not shown) to allow desired coordinate inputting when a pushing load or tilting load is applied to the rubber cap 59 by the fingers of an operator.
However, the related-art coordinate input device 51 has the problem of bad feeling of operation when inputted since the driving pin 54 operates the metal contact 57 indirectly via the compression spring 56 to cause a slight time lag.
Also, it has the problem of slight feeling of clicking that is transmitted to the fingers of the operator because the feeling of clicking generated when the metal contact 57 is reversed is transmitted to the fingers of the operator via the compression spring 56.
The related-art coordinate input device 51 also has the problem of a large height, thus obstructing a low profile.